The Doctor's Secret
by xXdreameaterXx
Summary: "What? That's it? I pay you good money and all you give me is flattery and cheap advice?" - Twelve/Clara, Twelve/Echo!Clara. Rated M for questionable morals, prostitution & mentions of sexual content. Not explicit.


**The Doctor's Secret**

"Can I ask you a question?" Clara was about the leave the TARDIS when she suddenly turned back around again, looking curious..

"Go ahead, I might even answer," the Doctor said, giving her a broad smile.

"What do you do when I'm not in the TARDIS? I've been asking myself that for a while. Where do you go? Or do you just float in space, read books and write on your blackboard?"

The Doctor pondered his answer for a moment. This was the first time in their years of travelling that she had ever asked him that and he could not possibly tell her the truth, at least not all of it.

"I visit places, visit people I've met over the years. And yes, sometimes I just float in space," he eventually replied.

"So, where are you headed now?"

_That's none of your business, Clara_, he thought. She wouldn't like the answer. At all.

"I, uhm, I think I will visit an old friend I haven't seen in a while. She lives on Argolis, a very peaceful planet nowadays."

"Okay, well, have fun. See you next Wednesday."

"Teach them something good," the Doctor called after her right before the TARDIS door closed.

When the Doctor had made sure that Clara really wouldn't come running back into the TARDIS, as she sometimes did, her human mind often forgetting things in the control room, he flicked some switched and the engines sprang to life.

The blue box materialized on the outskirts of a holiday complex. As he stepped out, the Doctor realized that he had parked his TARDIS directly on the lawn in front of the beautiful house. Oh, she would be furious.

"I knew it," a female voice called, "Just wait for the Doctor to come along ruin your beautiful, new lawn."

The Doctor turned around and smiled at the woman. She was growing prettier each time he saw her. Her brown hair was long and in a ponytail, her big, dark eyes framed by black lines that made them seem even bigger. Only her nose was as funny as usual.

"Hello darling," he greeted her, "May I come in?"  
>"You know you're the only one of my clients who's allowed to call me that?" she winked at him and waved to invite him inside.<p>

The Doctor stepped into the parlour and looked around.

"You've redecorated. . ." he began.

"And you don't like it, I know, I know," the woman finished his sentence.

The house was huge and bright, the furniture expensive and it had a timeless elegance to it. The Doctor thought that if a stranger stepped inside it, he would never guess it belonged to a prostitute.

"I'm glad to see you're doing well," he said after taking a good long look around.

"I owe it all to you, Doctor," she gave him an earnest and grateful smile.

"Well, I couldn't let you rot in that hell hole, could I?"

"I still don't know why you picked me among all the other girls. Still, I'm grateful. Things are much better now that I can select my own customers. It pays well, and this place is lovely."

The Doctor remembered the night he _saved_ her all too well. He had stumbled upon a brothel on some unnamed asteroid – by accident of course. He wasn't the type to pay for sex. And there she was. Clara, his Clara, skimpily dressed, about to walk away with some greasy man. The Doctor had known that she wasn't really Clara, but one of her echoes that he seemed to encounter everywhere and decided to help her miserable soul. He had gone to her pimp, convinced him he was working with the Judoon, looking for the girl. The Doctor told him that he'd come to arrest her immediately and pointed at his police box. The pimp hadn't been convinced and demanded the Doctor paid for her, which he did.

After that he was free to take Clara, who called herself Oswin again this time, wherever he liked. The pimp had winked at him in the process, indicating the Doctor should have a little fun with her before delivering her to the Judoon. But instead of doing that, he had brought her here, to Argolis, hoping she would abandon her job, which she never did.

"Clara, why do you keep doing that?" he wanted to know from her.

"Doctor, it's Oswin," the woman reminded him, "You can call me Clara once I see some credits. And, I like it. I love sex, as you very well know. In fact, it's about the only thing I know how to do."

"That's not true," the Doctor told her, "I brought you here so you can do something with your life."

"I'm doing just that. It's lovely here on this planet and I couldn't have raised my daughter in this filthy asteroid brothel you rescued me from."

"I should've done more. And I'm truly hoping your daughter isn't mine."

"No, what you did for me was more than I could ever hope for. And no, she's not yours. Her father works as a massage therapist on the other end of the complex. He's one of my regulars, but he knows of her and he's a good dad," Oswin reassured him.

The Doctor nodded.

"So, are you going to hand over some credits or are we just talking today?" she finally asked.

He remembered the first time he had decided to call on her services. After he had rescued Oswin, he had visited her a few times, just to make sure she was okay and doing well. But when Clara had started dating Danny, the Doctor had been frustrated, only just realizing how much he truly wanted her. And one day, when he had been so close to just take Clara on his TARDIS console, he had decided that this couldn't continue, that his passion needed an outlet. And then Oswin had come to his mind. He had meant it to be a one time thing and nothing more, yet now he realized that he returned to Oswin almost every week after he had dropped Clara off at home. Her home, where she would be happy with Danny. And the Doctor was here, taking his share of happiness with Clara he could otherwise never have.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out some credits and handed them over to Oswin. She tucked it safely away and gave him a bright smile.

"I feel almost bad, taking money from you. You're my favourite client," Oswin admitted sheepishly.

"Don't. See it as an investment in your early retirement," he told her.

"Oh, and where would _you_ go if I retired?"

The Doctor shrugged.

"Don't deny it, Doctor. You're not the type. You're not coming here because you're looking for sex. You could have that elsewhere. Cheaper. And probably a bit more exiting as well. You come to me because of _me_. Something about me reminds you of someone, that's what you're looking for."

The Doctor wouldn't even attempt to deny it. She was right and she knew him well by now.

"You should tell her one day," Oswin said.

"Tell what to whom?" Maybe if he played dumb, he would get out of this conversation.

"Clara. Tell her you love her."

"You're a clever woman, Oswin."  
>"Doctor, please. I've been in this business for a while and I know there's only one reason for men wanting to call me by another name. And that's when they're in love with a woman. You should tell her."<p>

"I don't think the feeling is mutual," he was sad to admit.

"You'd be surprised. And I think any woman would be lucky to have you."

The Doctor laughed. "What? That's it? I pay you good money and all you give me is flattery and cheap advice?"

Oswin got up. She walked over to him and sat down on his lap, smiling to herself.

"Of course not," she said and kissed him, "But I'm just a whore. I can't give you what you want, even though I do love you. You are always welcome here but I'm afraid it won't make you happy. Not for the long haul."

"But for tonight, Clara," the Doctor stared at her, banning the thought from his mind that she was only Oswin and had he had just paid for her, "Tonight you'll make me happy."


End file.
